Bobcat Runners Each Take Third at Home Meet

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - Breaking in the brand
new West Campus Cross Country Course, the Georgia College &
State University cross country teams each had solid third-place
finishes today (Sept. 6) in the Georgia College Pre-Conference
Meet.

The Bobcat women finished third with 91 points, 49 behind
second-place Augusta State University and 55 off the pace set by
Columbus State University. The CSU men also took the team title
with 28 points, 14 ahead of Clayton State University and 61 in
front of Georgia College.

Finishing 10th, freshman Karissa
Ekstrom (Alpharetta, Ga.) set a personal
best collegiate 5K in 20:07, tied with Crystal
Sutton for the sixth-best time in school history.
Supporting her was junior Heather Raines
(Loganville, Ga.) in 13th (20:24).

Another rookie, Sarah Balkcom
(Fayetteville, Ga.) was third on the team at 21st
overall (20:51). 2007 All-Peach Belt Conference (PBC)
honorees Bonnie
Ueltzen (Blairsville,
Ga.) and Dani Destiche
(Snellville, Ga.)were 23rd and 24th, respectively. Ueltzen
finished in 20:59, with Destiche a second behind.

The men's course was an 8K distance, as these Bobcats were also
led by some fresh faces. The top four Georgia College finishers
each set personal bests. Freshman Colin Conroy
(Dacula, Ga.) finished 14th in 27:49, as
classmate Rob Manning
(Lawrenceville, Ga.) crossed the line just seven
seconds later in 15th.

Clayton's Allison Kreutzer won the women's title at 18:45,
setting a high bar for the course record at 33 seconds ahead of the
competition. The men's race was taken by fellow Laker Fidelis
Mutiso, covering the course in 26:07, setting the course mark over
Francis Marion University's Hillary Kiprop by a second.

The Bobcats are back in action in Wingate, N.C. Saturday, Sept.
13 at the Pre-Region Meet hosted by Wingate University.

Visit www.GCSU.edu/Athletics to nominate your favorite former
Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The GCSU
Department of Athletics sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at
the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides
itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by
the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as
well as documented academic success and community-service
involvement.